The term Customer Service has different meanings to different people, but in my opinion, its all in the relationship. The word “service”, according to Webster’s, means an act of helpful activity, help, aid. The advantage of having a clearly defined “value-add” is your messages will be consistent. Consistency creates stability for your customers and that consistency will cause them to compare the services/products of other companies to yours. PeopleSoft said it best, “Customers are an investment. Maximize your return.” How can you maximize your return? You need to understand your customer, engage them, and be sympathetic. If you do, it will help to increase your visibility, credibility, and customer retention.
At the beginning of your journey to success, research is paramount. There may be a vision, interest, or skill you feel worthy of entrepreneurship, but without understanding your prospective customer, you will spend a lot of money casting a wide marketing net. What good is having the information if you aren’t going to use it? Don’t just use it to determine price points and location, use it to provide solutions to problems your customer didn’t anticipate. Think outside the box and give them a little something unexpected. Here is a great example of this, Neiman Marcus. My pastor loves Neiman Marcus. He is always surprised at how far they will go to please their customers. His wife’s favorite suit (she had owned it for years) was destroyed by the dry cleaner. He took the suit back to Neiman’s with hopes of finding a similar suit by the same designer. When the manager heard the story of how the suit was destroyed not only did he help locate a similar suit, but he allowed them to exchange the destroyed suit for the new one. WOW, that was unexpected!
Engage!, engage!, engage! This is one of the best ways to know what customers want. Begin a dialog with your customer and continue it through emails, personalized notes, and of course….SOCIAL MEDIA. When you receive complaints, accolades, or questions via email make sure you return those emails promptly. Send a note on birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions. Customers want to know you’re interested and they’re valued. They want to know that you care before they care what you know.
How can you serve if you aren’t sympathetic to the needs of your customer? Becoming sympathetic goes back to your overall understanding of them. Think of it this way, your customers (the ones you know so well because you have studied them and engaged in dialog with them) are like your children. When they are bombarded by the messages from the competition, when they hear negative comments about you.. they know they can always count on you to give them what they need. Just like the prodigal son… they may stray briefly, but they will always return home.
Customer service is a marketing. It is a tool used to solidify your position in the eyes of your target market.
Sometimes it’s really that simple, isn’t it? I feel a little stupid for not thinking of this by myself.
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